Lepokid.s. MAMMALIA. Lbpokid^. I -15 
its specific title. In form, size, and general appearance 
about the neck, are characters familiar to all. The 
it very closely resembles our English rabbit; feeding 
ears are nearly as long as the head, but do not present 
on grass and various vegetable matters, and being parti- 
the black markings at their ends, such as we find in the 
cularly fond of willow bark. During the winter, great 
hares. The habits of the rabbit are too well known 
numbers are destroyed on the banks of Mackenzie rivei- 
to require minute detail. Their destructive propen- 
by the Hare Indians, who capture them -with snares. 
sities are so great, that the generality of fainiers extir- 
According to Sir John Richardson, this species has 
pate them by every means at their disposal. Not only. 
numerous other destructive enemies, “ such as wolves, 
however, do these little animals afford a considerable 
foxes, wolverines, martens, ermines, snorvy owls, and 
source of food to oui' population, but their skins are so 
various hawks; but the Canada lynx is the animal 
highly valued for manufacturing piirposes, that in addi- 
which perhaps most exclusively feeds upon it. It has 
tion to those procured at home, we have several hun- 
been remarked that lynxes are numerous only when 
dred thousand skins annually imported into this country 
there are plenty of hares in the neighbourhood. At 
from Germany. Fortunately the rabbit is extremely 
some periods a sort of epidemic has destroyed vast 
prolific; and as it begins to breed at the age of six 
numbers of hares in particular districts, and they have 
months, and is capable of producing litters of seven or 
not recruited again until the lapse of several years, 
eight young, six or seven times in the year. Pennant 
during which the lynxes were likewise scarce. In the 
has calculated that in the course of four years, other 
spring and summer the hares are much infested by a 
conditions being favourable, the progeny of a single 
species of cimex. In the fur countries this hare becomes 
pair and their offspring, would amount to upwards of a 
white in the winter.” In the milder districts the ordi- 
million individuals ! 
nary greyish-bro'wn colour is retained throughout the 
THE IITTLE-CHIEE HARE {Logomys princeps) is 
cold season — a phenomenon which also occurs in the 
the name applied by Sir John Richardson to a small 
Alpine species. Several thousand furs are annually 
rodent, less than seven inches in length, and which 
imported to this country, under the title of rabbit skins. 
inhabits the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 
but their value is scarcely sufficient to reward the 
fur is blackish-brorvn above and greyish beneath ; the 
trouble of exportation. 
head being short and thick, and the ears somewhat 
THE PEAIRIE HAEE {Lepus Virginianus) very 
rounded. It has no tail. “ It is often seen at sunset. 
closely resembles our common English species, not only 
mounted on a stone, and calling to its mates by a pecu- 
in form and general appearance, but also in its habits 
liar shrill whistle. On the approach of man it utters a 
and srviftness of foot. It is tolerably plentiful on the 
feeble cry, like the squeak of a rabbit when hurt, and 
plains bordering on the Saskatchewan, and on those of 
instantly disai)pears, to reajjpear in a minute or two at 
Columbia. In rvinter the fur becomes pure white. 
the distance of twenty or thirty yards, if the object of 
THE POLAE HAKE {Lepus gladalis) is a large spe- 
its apprehension remains stationary.” They do not 
cies, and now very generally considered to be distinct 
appear to construct any kind of burrow, but make their 
from the Alpine, or varying hare. The fur is quite 
habitations among crevices in the limestone rocks. The 
white, except at the free ends of the ears, which are 
Little-Chief Hare is distinguished from its congeners in 
tipped rvith brownish-black. Its weight is said to 
presenting small digital pads at the base and end of its 
extend to as much as fourteen pounds. The authority 
toes; these have a black tint. The claws are also 
above mentioned states, that “although it does not fre- 
dark- coloured, short, compressed, and concealed by 
quent thick woods, it is often seen near the small and 
the fur. 
thin clumps of spruce fir which are scattered on the 
THE CALLING 'KKBCE,{Lagomys pusillus) — Plate IG, 
confines of the barren grounds. It seeks the sides of 
fig. 54 — is a native of the south-eastern parts of Russia 
hills, where the wind prevents the snow from lodging 
and the slopes of the Ural Mountains, as well as of the 
deeply, and where, even in the rvinter, it can procure 
western side of the Altai chain. The head is long, the 
the berries of the Alpine arbutus, the bark of some 
ears large, short, and rounded, and the tail absent. 
dwarf willows, or tlie evergreen leaves of the Labrador 
The molar teeth are twenty in number ; that is, five on 
tea plant. It does not dig burrows, but shelters itself 
either side of each jaw. The body is about six inches 
amongst large stones, or in the crevices of rocks, and 
only in length. The fur has a greenish-brown colour. 
in the winter-time its form is generally found in a 
being hoary underneath. The Calling Hares frequent 
wreath of snow at the base of a cliff.” It does not 
sunny banks in the neighbotirhood of woods. They 
appear to be at all a shy animal, for Captain Lyon 
form burrows amongst the shrubs and herbage ; their 
remarks that, while on the coast of "Winter Island, the 
openings being difficult to detect, but for the peculiar 
hares went out on the ice to the ships, to feed on the 
cry which the occupants make. This noise, which can 
tea-leaves thrown overboard by the sailors. It may 
be heard at a considerable distance, is uttered at regular 
generally be approached rvithin shooting distance with- 
intervals every morning and evening, and sometimes 
out much difficulty. During the Arctic explorations 
during the day if the weather be cloudy. The Tartars 
of Dr. Kane and other bold adventurers, tliis little 
apply to it the name of barking mouse, while the Cos- 
animal formed a frequent addition to their scantily 
sacks of the Wolga call it Semlanoi sactshik, or ground- 
provided feasts. 
hare. The yoimg at the time of birth are blind and 
THE KABBIT {Lepus cuniculus) is familiar to every 
destitute of fur. 
resident in the country throughout Europe. The brown- 
Closely allied to this species is the Ogotona of the 
ish grey colour of the fur, becoming quite rvliite under- 
Mongols {Lagomys Ogotona), which is found to the 
neath the tail and belly, associated wth a ruddy tinge 
south of Lake Baikal. 
Von. I. 19 
